Monday, July 2, 2007

"You shall not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:14).

IDEA: A marriage covenant is unconditional.

PURPOSE: To help listeners understand the implications of an unconditional covenant in marriage.

I. Even in God’s covenants, there are times in which God gives up His people who have abandoned Him. 

In Malachi 2:11-16, the people have a form of a covenant, but their attitudes and actions are far from it.

Even though God says that He hates divorce, He also despises those men (in this case) who deal treacherously with their wives.

There are violations of this covenant marriage relationship so severe that God allows separation and divorce.

Jesus spoke about fornication as a condition leading to divorce (Matthew 19:9).

Moses saw the hardness of heart as a reason for a bill of divorcement to protect a woman (Matthew 19:8).

Ezra (10:1-5) told the people to put away pagan wives and their offspring.

Paul (1 Corinthians 7) said that if an unbeliever departs, let him depart. A believer is not under bondage in such a case.

Spousal abuse, desertion, incest go against all of God’s intention in a marriage relationship. People who are guilty of these have therefore abandoned the covenant.